Chelsea’s Purple Rose Theatre staged the world premiere of playwright Carey Crim’s Emma’s Wedding(s) to a sold-out house on the eve of the country’s semiquincentenial anniversary. Director Kate Thomsen Savina took Crim’s script and brought the play to life, taking the audience on a laugh-filled journey into the world of women, love and friendship.
Thomsen’s vision included the use of enhanced technology, adding a new dimension to the performance, while raising the bar for all future productions. Despite the addition of sound and visual effects, Emma’s Wedding(s) is a love story, highlighting the kind of love that exists between women who have shared a lifetime of ups and downs together.
Meet the Forever Friends:
For audience members unfamiliar with new technology apps, the beginning caused moments of confusion which quickly disappeared as the story unfolded. Sarab Kamoo (Emma), was joined by friends Sallie Ben (Sonja Marquis) and Robyn (Dwandra Nickole) who have shared a “girl’s week” for years. In arranging the meeting, Emma announces to her friends that she is getting married, for the fourth time. The action then settles in on the dynamics of the up-coming wedding.
(L-R) Dwandra Nickole as Robyn, Zach Fischer as Bob, Sonja Marquis as Sallie Ben and Sarab Kamoo as Emma. Photo by Sean Carter Photography.
The ladies are joined by Zach Fischer who plays fiancé #4 and multiple other characters. Suzanne Young’s costumes highlighted the passage of time in the story very effectively. Fischer’s costumes were especially brilliant, donning a variety of hats that so vividly defined his characters.
Technology Adds To The Story:
A special shout-out goes to Scenic & Projections designer Sarah Pearline, Lighting Designer Noele Stollmack and Sound Designer Suzi Regan. In one sequence, projection of Emma’s past weddings flashed on upstage panels, supported musically by Pachelbel’s Canon in D. The sound & visual effects highlighted a poignant memory shared by the women.
Dwandra Nickole as Robyn using technology. Photo by Sean Carter Photography.
Sarab Kamoo as Emma using technology on her phone. Photo by Sean Carter Photography.
There is much to like about Emma’s Wedding(s) but the star of this show is Crim’s dialogue. Her script included crisp, funny lines which the actors delivered perfectly. Notable quips included, “you’ve yucked my yum”, “this is my disaster, not yours” and “I thought now that we were empty nesters, we would be planning Act II, but he was already sampling the snacks at intermission.”
The 1, 2, 3s of Success:
There are three elements needed to ensure success for any play. These include:
- Was the audience entertained?
- Did the audience think about what they heard?
- Did the audience feel something?
Crim and Savina checked all three boxes. From the beginning, Emma’s Wedding(s) was fun. As the story advanced, the dialogue included many thought-provoking statements. As Robyn discussed the disappointments of her life, her hurt was palpable and made an emotional impact on the audience. That internal hurt transformed into outward anger, and using pillows was an effective prop.
Crim is a brilliant writer and in Emma’s Wedding(s), she did not disappoint. The story flowed, pointing to a logical conclusion. Crim added a subtle message of how technology has increased communication and connection while also diminishing both. And that alone, is worth the price of admission. Emma’s Wedding(s) gets an enthusiastic two thumbs up and is can’t-miss entertainment.
Emma’s Wedding(s) runs through Sunday, 8/30. Tickets can be purchased at www.purplerosetheatre.org/buy-tickets/ or by calling (734) 433-7673. Purple Rose is located at 137 Park St. in Chelsea.
114 North Main St Suite 10 Chelsea, MI 48118
